Computer systems in their origination were developed to display content within graphical user interfaces (“GUI”) on a single monitor. Users that wished to view more than a single file, GUI, dialog window or other display or presentation of content on a computer system (e.g., windows within computer applications, various GUIs of computer applications, dialog windows within computer applications, dialog windows related to operating systems, etc.) in synchronicity with another displaying of content, would be required to size such displaying of content within the single monitor display area so that all displaying of content were viewable at the same time. This single-monitor restriction, while functional for a period of time, led to inefficiency in file and task management. Users that required a synchronicity of views were required to view their multiple displays of content in smaller form, limiting their capacity to more effectively complete the requirements they sought.
As computer programs and users' needs became more complex, the ability to present content on multiple monitors provided users with additional display areas to more effectively manage their computational tasks. Conventional mechanisms have been provided to arrange multiple monitors in logical space and provide relative presentation of data on those multiple monitors. This has enabled users to view and engage with multiple programs and/or iterations of files and other content on more than one monitor. Common real-world uses, such as the viewing and management of two or more Microsoft Word documents in synchronicity, the viewing and management of files displayed in two or more separate graphic design programs (e.g., Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator) in synchronicity or the viewing and management of two or more database spreadsheets in synchronicity were enabled with the development of mechanisms to display separate content and GUIs in multiple monitors.
With the advent of multiple monitor systems, users, through cursor manipulation, were able to move objects, such as GUIs, windows, dialog screens within GUIs and other displays of content across monitors. Users could then view in synchronicity multiple displays of content without the requirement of shrinking their size (in order to display all displays of content within a single monitor). The limitations of the single monitor system (screen clutter, confusing display of content/applications and the limitation in viewing area) were alleviated with these conventional systems and methods to manage and display multiple displays of content on multiple monitors in synchronicity.
While conventional devices have been able to provide this added feature to users with multiple monitors, they are limited in their management of displays of content within and across multiple monitors. The ability to detect multiple monitors by processing systems, while an active measure, does not cross-pollinate into the detection systems within computer applications, a required measure to provide robust management of layouts across monitors.
In addition and as stated above, conventional devices, while having enabled the ability to move and manipulate displays of content across monitors, this process is capacitated only by cursor manipulation. To manipulate displays of content so that it can be displayed on an additional, a user must open an application and then “drag and drop” that displays of content in the apportioned area of the additional monitor. This action must be taken each time a user wishes to manipulate the viewing layout of their displays of content. While their previous layout can be “remembered” by the application, the next time the user works within that application (e.g., new files created by an application default to open on a second monitor, as opposed to a first), any change across monitors must be manually completed by the user through cursor manipulation.